Bird Sightings

Fulmar on our Productivity Site. ©ThomasWeston

A morning of ringing in Millcombe was successful with a flurry of Willow Warblers moving through the valley on their usual 45/60 minutes after sunrise. The session was not busy, but census was split into two to make it easier and well timed. Other species noted during ringing included 6 Woodpigeons, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Great Black-backed Gulls, 12 Herring Gulls, 18 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Gannets, 7 Shags, 2 Kestrels, 2 Carrion Crows, 3 Swallows (presumably local breeders plus and additional bird), 2 Blackcap fully fledged juveniles, 52 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, 8 Wrens, 6 Starlings, 3 Blackbirds, 3 Robins, 2 Stonechats, 4 Dunnocks, 2 House Sparrows, 4 Pied Wagtails, 2 Meadow Pipits, 6 Chaffinches, 12 Linnets, and 6 Goldfinches.

After Millcombe ringing, the Fulmar productivity survey was undertaken with the chicks growing well and looking very fluffy sat on their rock. The Kittiwakes seem to be fledging still with fledged juveniles returning to the colony to roost whereas others remain out at sea. It won’t be long before all the Kittiwakes fledge and leave for the autumn/winter, we have still got a month at least until the Fulmar begin to fly.

Ringing

Millcombe ringing was productive with Willow Warblers making the majority of the catch but a Sedge Warbler and a retrap juvenile Blackcap, the latter born on the island was a good haul of migrants this morning.   

ConservationTeam. ©Caoimhe

A day we said goodbye to our Seabird Assistant Lucy head off the island this year. Lucy migrated off the island with all the Puffins, and other auks. We would like to say a massive thank you for everything, it’s been a great summer of seabirds and many many hours out on the cliffs day in day out. Whilst Lucy was here, Lucy helped process over 650 Manx Shearwaters, helped start a new Herring Gulls productivity study, spent hours watching Puffins, Guillemots, Kittiwakes and Fulmars, and has managed to process during bird ringing over 600 birds since arriving. Plus lots more! We will certainly miss Lucy and hope she will return with the Puffins next year.

Ringing

The day was rather chill after a night of Storm Petrel, Manx Shearwaters and Wheatears. However, the only brood of Swallows was ringed on the island from a nest by Old House North.

A calm day with a slight South East wind. This, combined with cloud cover resulted in another big arrival of ~100 Willow Warblers this morning that trickled through Millcombe from 06:30 - 10:30. A bit of ringing resulted in 53 more Willow Warblers caught and ringed in this time period. There was a bit of wader passage this morning with a Curlew heard distantly out in the Bristol Channel calling as it presumably migrated Southeast whilst the calls of our breeding Oystercatchers were heard in the Landing Bay. This was closely followed by a Redshank that arrived from the Southeast, circled around the Landing Bay before heading back out East. This was the first of the year and a pleasant surprise during census and ringing. The last notable wader of the day was at Quarter Wall where a Ringed Plover was heard and seen briefly as it flew from the West cutting across the island and heading out East. The seabird surveys were undertaken today for our remaining productivity survey species: Kittiwake and Fulmar with both species doing okay considering a pretty turbulent season so far. A fun evening at the Battery, resulted in a Rock Pipit, a mix of Herring and Lesser-Black Backed Gulls as well as a singular Fulmar seen whilst down by the Cannons.

Ringing

Willow Warbler caught and ringed in Millcombe. ©Lucy Pécasse

Millcombe Willow Warblers.

The seabird surveys were the main task of this morning with the Kittiwakes, Herring Gull and Fulmar productivity sites being covered. Starting with the Fulmars, the chicks are growing well, and the adults are not necessary at the breeding colony so only 2 adults were seen. Moving round to the Kittiwakes and it seems a bit more positive with more fledged chicks being seen in their nests and flying around – not a complete disaster for this colony. The Herring Gulls are a big success this year with a, what seems to be, a higher productivity than last year. All chicks have now fledged so we will be calculating the success of this year’s attempts.

A hot afternoon with not many birds seen apart from the adult female Blue-headed Wagtail with at least 1 of the Flava x Flavissma Wagtail hybrids. Oh, and a Green Sandpiper briefly alighted twice in Barton’s Field before flying off SE. 

A Battery Sunset. ©Thomas Weston

An evening walk resulted in a lovely sunset from the Battery.